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Heavy Metal - Livegigs - Rezensionen - Kritiken.

In
the matter of pop punk. ALL TIME LOW are one of the most ambitious
bands from the States with their album "Nothing Personal" entering the
Bilboard charts at number four. The band is now heading to continental
Europe for the first time. It's also the first show for THE AUDITION to
play for a German audience. Today both bands stop over in Cologne. The
Luxor is blazoned with a "Sold out!" sign. There is a long line before
the club consisting ot mostly 14 to 18 year old girls, only waiting for
getting position in the front row. At seven prompt THE AUDITION start
their set and the audience is surprisingly well receivng the Michael
Jackson-pop-punk sound. The band itself is highly motivated for that
kind of sound, and though the singer does not hit every note in the
beginning, that very circumstance is blessed with improvement. The
scene kid's mood is at it's best and they shake a leg to songs such as
"You've Made Us So Conscious", "Love With A Motive" ot the cover of
KATY PERRY'S number one hit single "Hot 'n' Cold". After 40 minutes and
"Don't Be So Hard", which is interrupted by a game with the audience in
an "all peopla say Fuck Yeah at three" style, the set is over.
ALL TIME LOW are next, and the start up furiously with "Lost In
Stereo". The vibe was great some moments ago, and now it's even better.
The songs are sung along more loudly. The foursome's set consits of a
godd mixture of both albums and the ep. No hit is missing and
especially the ballad "Remembering Sunday" causes goosebumps. Penis
jokes of course are not missing when shorts are thrown at the stage.
ALL TIME LOW make a good show. The crowd goes with the band, the sound
is okay and the band is in a good mood. Though the songs are great,
they sound too similar at times. This makes THE AUDITION the band of
the evening as far as songs is concerned. The concert is over after 50
minutes, the club is empty before nine and 450 teenagers are walking
through the streets of Cologne.(Köln
Cologne
Luxor on 19th Sep 2009)

Annual
tours with larger billings have
become more and more popular during the past few years: Persistence,
Hell On Earth and Never Say Die have all been well attended. The
Beatfest Tour is a new realisation with CALIBAN and SUICIDE SILENCE
as headliners who attract a major number of visitors in Cologne. AFTER
THE BURIAL play a proper
Metalcore without surprises. The audience likes it and after 30
minutes the show is over.
EMMURE enter the stage. It was clear
from the beginning that the band would attract a certain kind of
audience, as evil sounds with a lot of breakdowns are only for real
tough guys. They are now appearing and start some major pit action.
The band itself is rather embarrising. It was better in April on tour
with AUGUST BURNS RED and MISERY SIGNALS. The setlist is also not so
great and there are too less songs played from the debut album. Half
an hour is really enough.
The German band MAROON is the first
real favourite for the audience. The band starts its set great with
„Endorsed By Hate“, is in a good condition and
plays their songs
appealingly, a mixture of the last three records. Funny creatures in
the first rows: HEAVN SHELL BURN morons, metal fans trying to be
hardcore and WoW-Pro-Gamers. Andre's announcements are good as always
and everyone seems to have fun.
SUICIDE SILENCE are the secret
headliners of tonight and attract most kids, but also the most
wretches. SUICIDE SILENCE are in a great mood and play a destructive
show. Mich is doing his vocals very well, almost as evil as on the
records. There is a lot going on in front of the stage. Everyone is
waiting for the last song „No Pity For A Coward“.
40 minutes of
fine Deathcore.
CALIBAN play before a smaller audience,
but still have a lot of fans. The band starts its set with
„Caliban's
Revenge“, followed by „My Time Has Come“.
Dennis' vocals sound
a bit strange and as if they were pimped up by playback. But it is a
great concert as usual and none of the favourites is missing.
A great tour actually, but with a very
embarrassing audience. (Köln, Essigfabrik
am 1th Nov 2009)

Köln - Düsseldorf

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA are ready for
their first European tour since they have become shooting stars of
the US-Metalcore-scene.
The club in Cologne is well-filled and
after the boring local support the German band PARACHTUTES enters the
stage. They sound a bit like THE BLACKOUT, but with more screaming.
They play Screamo with a large rock vibe which is however not able to
enthuse the majority and so the band just gets applause for courtesy
reasons.
A lot more enthusiasm is to be found
for the British YOUR DEMISE. Propably the UK's most anstisocial band
besides GALLOWS. The new singer however takes a lot of the antisocial
vibe from the band, compared at least to the tour in April with DEEZ
NUTS. The fans seem to like it anyway and the band plays their 30
minute set with a lot of fun, basically based on the band's debut
album „Ignorance Never Dies“ and some songs off the
EP, like its
title track „The Blood Stays On The Blade“. The
breakdown-ladden
„Burnt Tongues“ marks the end of the show.
Christian band THE DEVIL EWARS PRADA
starts furiously after an intro. It's obvious that the band enjoys
the gig, the whole band is on the move constantly. The vocals are
just as good as they are on the record, screamings as well as clean
vocals. Nearly perfect. The setlist satisfies everyone and is mostly
based on the albums „Plaques“ and „With
Roots Above And
Branches Below“. After first reacting a bit shy, the audience
goes
will with the show and arms are constantly raised to the sky. The
huge applaus for the Jesus sermon might be a little frightening, but
it remains the only criticism for a great show. (Köln, Essigfabrik
am 25th Oct 2009).

Düsseldorf

COLDPLAY
are doing headline open air shows in Europe this summer. They are
accompanied by KILLAINS, an indie rock band from Dinslaken. Germany,
who take part in the tour at the request of Chris Martin himself.They
start up the show right away and their sound is somewhat like a mixture
of TOMTE, COLDPLAY at the times of their debut and OASIS. Contrary to
my expectations for a cheap festival band such as ITCHY POOPZKID the
band is very talented and are great fun. This certainly partly
affiliates to the sympathatic speeches of singer Simon.
The second support band can be skipped confidently.
COLDPLAY do a great job. The stage is decorated with a huge VOVA LA
VIDA backdrop and video screens show projections and what's happeing on
stage. The set is packed with songs of all four of COLDPLAY's hit
albums. Special attention is directed to ""A Rush Of Blood To The Head"
and 2008's album "Viva La Vida". "X&Y" however is rather short,
and
though the albums's best song "Fix You" is played, "Speed Of Silence"
is missing. But it doesn't matter, because all hits are featured in the
set, including "Politik", "In My Place", "The Scientist", "Yellow",
"Viva La Vida" and "Clocks". The band does also not back off from
covering Michael Jackson and performes the song "Billy Jean". The
spectacle is over after 90 minutes and about 70.000 people are
satisfied on their way back home. (Düsseldorf, Esprit
Arena on 26th Aug 2009)

Köln

For Britons BRING ME THE HORIZON this tour might be the most
important tour of their career. The band sorrounding Oliver Skyes does
probaly have as much critics as it has fans. Both parties are really
making no prisoners when it comes to praise or goof. Being labelled as
fashion vitctims (through Sykes' very own Drop Dead brand), a bad live
band (voice problems, hangover and drunkenness) and other scandals have
also had a share in the band's reputation as their albums or their
well-performed concerts – that have also existed. A look into
the venue shows that the band not yet has reached its peak. It is
alomost sold out and more the show was participated by more visitors
than last time the band was playing in Cologne, one reason for which
might of course be the popular support. First band of the night is
AUGUST BURNS RED. The metalcore outfit is big friends with God and
seemingly have enough fans in Cologne, prasing the band from the first
notes of the intro. The band is very active on stage and obviously does
have fun performing for such a huge audience, only a few of which are
standing outside leaving not much space in Essigfabrik live club. The
band plays a great mixture of thier two latest records
„Messengers“ and
„Constellations“, they do however not give us any
song of thier debut album. It doesn't derogate the atmosphere and the
band gets much applaus from more than 1100 fans after finishing their
concert after 30 minutes. The Intro is sung along when A DAY TO
REMEMBER enter the stage. The mixture of Pop-Punk and metlcore has
enough followers meanwhile. Unfortunately the vocals sound not as good
as two weeks before in Münster. The set outweighs that fact,
though „Monument“ or the cover songs are missing. A
DAY TO REMEBER also perform a great mixture of their latest three
albums with main focus on their current masterpiece
„Homesick“. The band reacts on the audience' fun
with weird posing. After 40 minutes the show is over and the audience
prepares for today's headlining band – except for 20 guys who
leave because the don't want to see Oliver Sykes. BRING THE HOIRIZON
from Sheffield in the UK. The stage is set with giantic illuminated
letters (BMTH), flaring up during the entire concert. The show starts
great with „Chelsea Smile“ making the audience go
crazy immediately. This one is followed by „Pray For
Plagues“, first some from the debut record –
accompanied by a nie Wall Of Death. It is a remarkable fact that Oli
Sykes seems to be sober just as two weeks earlier, which has a positive
affect on his stage performance. His voice is also sounding well, maybe
his best vocal performance that I have seen during the eight concerts.
Setlist is based on songs of „Suicide Season“
except for „Plagues“ and „For Stevie
Wonder's Exes Only“. Some snippets can be heard of their
remix album „Suicide Season Cut Up“, making the
kids dance. Last song of the night is „Football Season Is
Over“ during which all are going crazy again to sing along to
“Party till you pass out/Drink till you're dead/Dance all
night till you can't feel your legs“. The show is over after
55 minutes and the band prooved that they are more than a bunch of
stylish guys making better parties than the others. If they are able to
keep up to that quality they will get more acceptance inside the metal
scene, not only a big praise by Robert Flynn. Tonight I vitnessed the
best show of 2009. (Köln, Essigfabrik
on 12th Nov 2009)

Paramore have been amongst the most important bands since
thier single hit „Decode“. Their new record
„Brand New Eyes“ also made high chart positions.
Because of the request the Cologe concert was relocated from Live Music
Hall into Palladium which capacity is three times as high. It was
nonetheless sold out very quickly. You Me At Six are with them, also
getting more and more experience.
But before we have to overcome Now Now Every Children. The sound of the
band is loceated in the Indie and Electro genre. There is not much
happening in the songs and is kind of boring and too much sounding like
90s Generation X. Most kids seem to agree and thus the band does not
get much attention.
Next are The Paper Rote, a bit more brisky. Also playing an
Indie/Electro influenced style. It's not realy breathtaking but they
entertain the crowd in a more convincing way. A band that you could
give a listen.
Boredom has gone when You Me At Six enter the stage. The band with
singer Josh Franceschi starts furiously with thier latest single
„Kiss And Tell“. There is a bit more going on in
the audience, though many seem to not know the band. Atmosphere is not
coming up before the play a cover version of Lady Gaga's
„Pokerface“, that everybody can sing along to.
Other songs like „Save It For The Bedroom“ oder
„Jealous Minds Think Alike“ are going down a bit.
The Brits have still fun and it is clearly to see that the band likes
playing big stages. After 35 minutes it is over and some of the kids
may have found a new band.
But then Paramore are coming on stage. After the intro the band plays
its new single „Ignorance“ and the (better)
Twilight-Song „I Caught Myself“. The fans are
sining along from the very beginning. The Americans shoe their best
side and play a great mixture of their three albums leaving no wihses
unfulfilled. Only the ballads off their new reocrd „Miguiged
Ghosts“ and „The Only Exception“ could
have been left out of the set. It would have been better if they had
played „My Heart“ oder „Let The Flames
Begin“. The concert is great except for these two points and
everyone of the 4500 people – also the legal guardian -
should
be happy.
(Köln,
Palladium on 6th Dec 2009)

Dortmund

Americans The Carrier and Britons Dead Swans are toruing
across
Europe. The concert in Dortmund was announced short-termed, so that
only 60 people come to see the show. It took place in the small Spirit
Club which might have seen better days. That can be the only reason for
the cheekiness of announcing 10 Euros for the box office, but charging
16 in the end. First a german band enters the stage, which doesn't even
tell its name. But they have to make a break after the first six notes,
because of a guitar string flying apart. Soud isn't really got either.
The speeches rae not funny and the music is average hip Hardcore. They
do not really play tight, but the say it was their first rehersal for
month and not really a concert, finally afetr 25 minutes it is done.
Dead Swans start right afterwards and start their concert with the
opener of the new record „Thiking Of You.“ There is
not
much going on in front of the stage and most of the audeince is heading
to the bar. But it seems like the girls take a step forward. The band
istelf is a little wasted but does a good show on the small stage. They
play a fine mixture of the „Southern Blue EP“ and
their
debut album „Sleppwalkers“. Ivy Archwy is
unfortunately
missing again. But it is even more sad, that this band does get too
less attention in Germany. Vidoes from UK, France or Austria show that
there is much more going on. The Carrier get a lot more attention and
three third of the club stand before the stage and make a party to the
band's sound. It is too less authentic for me, Kids that seem to me
like they would rather do tough guy hardcore i the terms of Terror or
Madball sing about heartache and play dark and melodic Hardcore. The
music is however not bad and people in front of and on the stage seem
to have a lot of fun. I watch it from the back, and after 30 minutes
the concert is over. Band of the night for me was Dead Swans. And they
will get the same attention as The Carrier sooner or later.
(Dortmund,
Spirit on 5th Jan 2010)

Düsseldorf

Arctic Monkeys are one of the greatest bands in European indie
music
scene with their debut album being one of the most sucessful albums in
Britain ever. On their third album „Humbug“ the
band does
no longer play their bolshy sound of the first records and is now
focussing more on quiet songs atomizing the flair of the 70s. It's
interesting how it will sound live compared to the older harder stuff.
But before this question is answered first The Misery Jets have to be
overcome. The hall is filled quite well when the band starts its set,
but there is not a lot going on in the audience. The music of the band
sounds very much like the Beatles and is really nothing special. Many
in the audience seem to think the same way. After 35 minutes the gig
finally is over. Arctic Monkeys let people wait for half an hour. They
start with the quiet „Dirty Little Liar“ off their
latest
record „Humbug“. The audience is very held back in
the
beginning. Some fans are jumping around but the party does not really
start until the opener of the 2007 album „Favourite Worst
Nightmare“, „Brainstorm“ is played. The
audience is
now fully in the hand of the musicians. They however move a bit too
less. It doesn't really matter because of the brilliant light show and
the monitors on both sides of the stage. Artic Monkey play a great
mixture of their three albums, forgetting no hit to put into the set.
„The View from The Afternoon“ is not missing, also
You
Probably Couldn't See For The Lights But You Were Staring Straight At
Me“ is not. The new songs fit very well into the band's live
set
and 70 minutes should really be no reason for anyone to complain.
(Düsseldorf, Phillipshalle
on 10th Feb 2010)